"The Thousand Nations of the Persian Empire descend upon you! Their arrows will blot out the sun."
"Then we will fight in the shade."
There's a 19 year old kid in my office who likes movies about tough guys. His all time favorite is Scarface -- the Al Pacino version, not the black and white. Every couple of weeks he comes in hopped up on Achilles, becuase he's watched Troy over the weekend.
I think he needs to be prepared for the upcoming film, 300. The other movies are pure fiction. 300, on the other hand, is fact. 300 Spartans, the toughest men who ever lived (you're free to debate this point if you want. But debate is pointless; it will still be true), faced hundreds of thousands of their enemies -- warriors from across the vast Persian Empire -- for several days. They fought to the last man, delaying the huge army from the East, and buying time for the city-states of Greece to gather their forces for battle.
Several years ago, the poet-laureate of tough guys and comic artist Frank Miller published his version of the historical tale as 300. Now Hollywood is bringing it to life in a CGI heavy version that will capture Miller's art style in the same way Sin City did.
Prepare yourself here... The trailer is available for download.
2 comments:
Finally! I heard about this project awhile ago, in fact I think we talked of it, and it is finally here. Can't wait to se it.
Here are some cool facts about these freakishly violent warriors:
The Spartans were called upon once before Thermopolae to act as a trip wire for the city states but because the battle fell on their annual olympic type events.... they would not go.
During the battle, they were sent a note by the enemy. The note said that IF you don't surrender we will kill you. IF you don't surrender we will kill all your families. IF you don't surrender we will sack Sparta and obliterate it from history's memory. Leonidas sent back a one word reply. His reply was "IF".
Upon reaching the Gates of Fire before the Persians, Leonidas and his men decided to relax in the thermal springs of the location and braid each others hair.
The Spartans often fought naked, save for a bright red cape.
Today in Sparta there is a memorial that reads " In Greece they build Statues. In Sparta, we build men."
I certainly hope that the movie gets it right. It is a very cool story. Later bro!
heh heh...
You're right, Sky Ninja!
Leonidas wanted the Spartans to do their duty as Greeks and confront these Eastern Barbarians who were so arrogant. However, the call to arms coincided with a Spartan religious festival, and the Army could not be mobilized. There was a loophole however. Leaving his co-ruler to oversee the games and feasting, Leonidas called his 300 man bodyguard together and announced they would be going for a "little walk."
This was a walk that carried them halfway across Greece into the sights of an army that vastly outnumbered them.
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